Zenescope’s Wonderland Heads To Television

Lionsgate Television is developing Zenescope’s Wonderland graphic novels as a series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Following the success of ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” Lionsgate Television’s adaption represents a strong interest in fairy tale properties. In fact, Wonderland’s television rights involved a six-studio bidding war.

Wonderland, which ranked among the top 10 independent comics released in the past five years, puts a modern spin on Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel “Alice in Wonderland” from the perspective of Alice’s daughter, and it includes the graphic novels “Return to Wonderland,” “Escape From Wonderland” and “Beyond Wonderland.”

“As soon as I read the graphic novels, I knew there was something great there for TV,” said Kevin Beggs, Lionsgate Television president. “Brian Robbins was my first call, and he saw the same potential I did. Brian’s expertise, coupled with Ralph and Joe’s exceptional reimagining of the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ story, is a powerful combination.”

Robbins (“Smallville”) and Artist International’s Dave Brown and Zadoc Angell are serving as executive producers on the project; Joe Brusha and Ralph Tedesco will serve as co-executive producers.

“I was really drawn to the visuals; they’re dark, intense and sexual in a really provocative way,” Robbins said. “I love that it’s a mother-daughter story; that’s what really drew me to it. In the same way that [‘Smallville’s’] Clark [Tom Welling] had a similar relationship with his father, there’s a parallel here. It’s a really great retelling of the Wonderland story.”

The Wonderland graphic novels were created and written by Zenescope co-founders Brusha, Tedesco and Raven Gregory. This is the Zenescope’s first television venture.

Lionsgate Television has produced such series as “Mad Men,” “Weeds” and “The Dead Zone.”